Group 1 (Gymnosperm) Notes

Gymnosperm = naked seed

I.  Gymnosperms are seed-bearing plants where ovules are:

            1.  Born on the margins of modified leaves

2.  Occur at the tips of specialized short branches

3.  Located in various types of strobili (cones)

II.  Ovules are not:

1.  Sealed in carpels--they are exposed to the air at the time of pollination

2.  Not using pollen receptive structures--ovules receive pollen directly

III.  Terms

            Fascicle: point of connection of a cluster

            2-ranked: in two vertical rows on an axis

            Umbo: protuberance on the scale of a cone
            Scales: part of the cone on a conifer that bears ovules

IV.  Conifer Identification

Things to look for:

Needles--         clustered (how many needles/cluster)
                                    color
                                    length
                                   
Branches--       drooping or horizontal
                                    white sap/powder present
                                    white stripe along needle

Location--        upland
                                    wet sites

Cone--             location on branch (upright or hanging)
                                    length/width
                                    shape (rounded/pointed near apice)
                                    umbo presence/shape

Bark--              color and texture

Conifer Families

Ginkgoaceae

Habit: Leaves alternate or usually on short shoots (spur shoots), leaves simple, flabellate (fan shaped), palmate dichotomous venation, petioles present.  Dioecious. 

Ecology: Native to China.  Cultivated, but not naturalized world-wide.

Use: Memory enhancer.  Seeds roasted and eaten as a delicacy in China.

• Ginko biloba (Ginkgo)

• Leaf: Alternate, simple, fan-shaped, 2 to 3 inches long and wide; parallel, fan-like veination, may be irregularly 2 to 3 lobed at the broad edge or just wavy, petiole long, light green above and below.
• Flower: Dioecious; tiny green males are borne on 1 inch long catkins; female "cones" are 1 1/2 to 2 inch long peduncles, bearing 1 to 2 ovules, present in mid-spring.
• Fruit: Actually a naked seed; 1 inch long, with a fleshy covering that develops a strong, unpleasant odor when it drops to the ground, inner hard seed is edible, maturing in the fall after the first frost.
• Twig: Light reddish brown, becoming gray with numerous and obvious spur shoots; buds are broadly conical to dome-shaped and reddish brown.
• Bark: Light grayish brown with irregular ridges, eventually becoming deeply furrowed.
• Form: Usually a narrow, oval crown when young, eventually developing an irregular, much broader crown of a few large branches. Spur shoots are obvious.

Taxaceae

Habit: Shrubs or trees.  Needles alternate, simple, linear.  Usually dioecious (rarely monecious). Fruit is made up of  a green ovule surrounded (not enclosed) by a red aril.

Ecology: Cultivars of Taxus used as an ornamental shrub in yards.

Use: Taxol extracted from Taxus in the 1970s and used in leukemia treatments.

• Taxace brevifolia (Pacific Yew)

• Leaf: Evergreen needles, single, spirally arranged (although they appear 2-ranked), 1 inch long, yellow-green to dark green above and paler below (but without bloom); apex pointed but not sharp; each needle has a distinct petiole that parallels the twig for a short distance.
• Flower: Dioecious; male flowers are small, round, and yellow and are borne on the undersides of the leaves; female flowers are solitary.
• Fruit: A round, fleshy, orange-red aril about 1/4 inch long containing one hard seed, exposed at the end.
• Twig: Round, slender, and remaining green for many years; relatively few lateral branches.
• Bark: Always thin (about 1/4 inch), reddish brown, and scaly; inner bark is reddish purple.
• Form: Small evergreen understory tree with indistinct growth form. Can reach 50 feet tall and 2 feet in diameter, but usually much smaller. Trunks are usually fluted and asymmetrical. Very slow growing but can reach a very old age.

Cupressaceae

Habit: Shrubs or trees, leaves are scale-like, opposite or whorled.  Plants monecious or dioecious.  Cones mostly woody at maturity.  Seeds small, wingless.

Ecology:  Widely grown as ornamentals.  This is the family important to many people because of the sequoias. 

Use:  Lots of tannins in the wood...cedar chests, etc.

• Juniperus virginiana (Red-cedar)

• Leaf: Evergreen, very small, with two types of leaves (often on the same tree), scale-like leaves 1/16 inch long, dark green, with 4 sides held tightly to twig and longer (1/4 inch), dark blue-green needle-like leaves that are more common on young trees and fast growing shoots.
• Flower: Dioecious; but occasionally Monoecious; males are small, yellow-brown, occurring in large groups; females are light blue-green.
• Fruit: Berry-like cones, light green in spring, turning dark blue and glaucous at maturity, about 1/4 inch in diameter, appearing in spring and maturing in the fall.
• Twig: Green for several years, covered in scales, later turning brown.
• Bark: Red-brown in color, exfoliating in long, fibrous strips, often ashy gray where exposed.
• Form: A small tree with a dense ovoid or columnar crown reaching up to 60 feet tall.


• Thuja occidentalis (Northern White Cedar)
• Leaf: Evergreen, scale-like, on main shoots, 1/4 inch long with long points. Lateral shoots are flattened, 1/8 inch long with short points.
• Flower: Monoecious; solitary, females green with 4 to 6 scales; males are green tipped with brown and globose.
• Fruit: A cone, 1/2 inch long, oblong, borne upright on the branches, scales are leathery, red-brown and rounded, with a small spine on the tip.
• Twig: New growth is green and scale-like, turning brown, occurring in very flattened foliar sprays.
• Bark: Fibrous, red-brown, weathering to gray; diamond-shaped patterns are usually apparent.
• Form: A small to medium sized tree shaped like an arrowhead - a pyramid with a broad base and a small, round top, often with several main trunks.

Pinaceae

Habit: Shrubs and trees.  Needle-like leaves.  Plants monecious. Cones woody at maturity, seeds usually winged.  All members in this family evergreen except Larix.

Ecology:  9-12 genera; 210 species worldwide.  Most popular in the northern hemisphere. 

Use: Wood used for pulp, construction, x-mas trees, resins used for medicinal purposes.

• Abies balsamea (Balsam fir)
• • Leaf: Flattened needles, 3/4 inch long, blunt or notched at end, may be shorter and sharper pointed on upper branches, shiny dark green above and silvery-blue below.
  • Flower: Monoecious; males occur on undersides of leaf axils, purple to yellow-brown; females occur in upper crown, are purple and inconspicuous.
  • Fruit: Resinous cones are upright, 2 to 3 1/2 inches long, oblong to cylindrical, green with purple tinge, with bracts shorter than the scales; scales are deciduous with seed dispersal in late summer.
  • Twig: Yellow-green, later turning gray; buds are reddish brown and resin covered; leaf scars are flat and rounded.
  • Bark: Shiny silvery gray-brown, smooth except for numerous, raised resin blisters; largest stems may become a bit scaly.
  • Form: Balsam fir is a small to medium sized tree reaching 80 feet tall with a very narrow, spire-like crown.
• Larix laricina (Larch, Tamarack)
• • Leaf: Deciduous, flat needle, light green, appear in spirals on spur shoots after first year, 3/4 to 1 inch long, turn yellow in the fall.
  • Flower: Monoecious; males yellowish, small and round in clusters near branch tips; females reddish-brown, numerous scales, egg-shaped.
  • Fruit: Small, 3/4 to 1 inch, light brown, egg-shaped cone; persist throughout the winter.
  • Twig: Slender, light brown, numerous short, spur branches.
  • Bark: Rough, small scaly patches, grayish brown to reddish brown.
  • Form: Open, narrow, conical crown; trunk straight, grows to 80 feet; 1 1/2 feet in diameter.
• Picea rubens (Red spruce)
• • Leaf: Evergreen needles, 1/2 to 5/8 inch long, sharply pointed and four-sided, tending to curve upwards, shiny yellow-green. Each needle borne on a raised, woody peg (sterigma).
  • Flower: Monoecious; males cylindrical reddish but turning yellow-brown; females purplish green.
  • Fruit: Chestnut brown ovoid cone, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, cone scale margins entire; seed disseminated in the fall and cones tend to drop their first winter.
  • Twig: Orangish brown, finely hairy (may need a hand lens); as with all spruces, needleless twigs covered by short sterigmata (short pegs); buds orange-brown, small with loose scales.
  • Bark: Grayish brown on surface, more reddish brown beneath with irregular, fine flaky patches.
  • Form: Upright and straight, with a narrow crown; reaching a height of 60 to 80 feet and a diameter of 1 to 2 feet.
• Picea abies (Norway Spruce)
• • Leaf: Evergreen needles, stiff, 1/2 to 1 inch long, 4-angled but somewhat flattened, with a sharp pointed tip, shiny deep green. Each needle borne on a raised, woody peg (sterigma).
  • Flower: Monoecious; males yellow-brown in large groups; females upright, purple.
  • Fruit: Cones are very large, cylindrical, 4 to 6 inches long, with stiff, thin scales that are irregularly toothed, chestnut brown, maturing in fall.
  • Twig: Slender to medium in size, lacking hair, shiny orangish brown; needles are borne on woody pegs; buds with very loose, orange-brown scales (resembles a rose).
  • Bark: Red-brown and scaly, later turning gray with flaking scales or plates.
  • Form: A medium to large tree with conical form capable of reaching over 120 feet tall, with horizontal to upward sweeping branches that often droop branchlets.
• Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine)
• • Leaf: Evergreen needles, 3 to 5 inches long, with five, slender, flexible needles per fascicle; fascicle sheath deciduous, needles appear blue-green because of 3 or more glaucous lines of stomata.
  • Flower: Monoecious; males cylindrical, yellow, in clusters near branch tips; females light green, tinged in red, at ends of branches.
  • Fruit: Cones are 4 to 7 inches long, cylindrical, with thick, rounded cone scales, very resinous, borne on a long stalk and maturing in late summer.
  • Twig: Slender, gray-green to orange-brown in color; buds long, ovoid, reddish brown.
  • Bark: On young trees, thin, smooth and gray-green with some lighter splotty patches; later becoming thick, reddish brown to gray-brown with prominent finely scaly, rounded, long ridges and darker furrows.
  • Form: A large tree with a very straight trunk often reaching well over 100 feet in height. The crown is conical when young, later developing wispy, horizontal, upturning branches.
• Pinus virginiana (Virginia Pine)
• • Leaf: Evergreen needles, 1 1/2 to 3 inches long, with 2 yellow-green, twisted (or interwined remember Virgina is for Lover), somewhat divergent needles per fascicle.
  • Flower: Monoecious; males cylindrical, yellow, near branch tip; females yellow to red, curved prickle present.
  • Fruit: Conical to ovoid cones are 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, sessile and persistent, with red-brown scales and an umbo armed with a sharp, needle-like prickle, maturing in the fall.
  • Twig: Slender, green changing to purple-green with a glaucous bloom; buds gray-brown, narrowly ovoid.
  • Bark: Orange-brown and scaly on young trees; older stems develop thin, small, scaly plates, cinnamon colored patches often on upper parts of trunk.
  • Form: A small to medium sized tree reaching up to 70 feet tall, eventually develops a flat top sparse crown; dead, gray (sharply angled upwards) branch stubs are almost always present along the trunk.
• Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock)
• • Leaf: Evergreen, flat, single needles, 1/2 inch long, tapering to a dull point, primarily two-ranked, shiny dark green above, 2 lines of white stomata below.
  • Flower: Monoecious; males yellow, small, round; females light green at branch tips.
  • Fruit: Ovoid light brown cone, 3/4 inch long with rounded, entire scales, maturing in early fall.
  • Twig: Slender, gray-brown in color; buds are very small.
  • Bark: Initially gray-brown and smooth then turning scaly; older trees are red-brown with wide ridges and furrows; when cut or broken, purple streaks are obvious.
  • Form: A medium sized tree with a dense, conical crown, fine branches and a drooping terminal shoot reaching up to 80 feet tall, typically a poor natural pruner.

Pinus rigida (Pitch Pine)

• Leaf: Evergreen needles, 2 1/2 to 5 inches long, with three twisted needles per fascicle, yellow-green to green.
• Flower: Monoecious; males cylindrical, red to yellow, in large clusters at twig tips; females yellow to red, with small, curved scales.
• Fruit: Cones are ovoid, 2 to 4 inches long, light brown in color; umbo is armed with a short, stout prickle; cones are often persistent for many years; maturing in fall.
• Twig: Orange-brown and moderately stout; buds narrowly ovoid, light gray-brown.
• Bark: Dark and scaly when young, developing red-brown or yellow-brown thick flat plates with deep furrows; sprouts of needles may be present.
• Form: Extremely variable; short and poorly formed on poor sites, but can be a straight, medium sized tree reachin 80 feet tall on better sites; epicormic sprouting is common.

Pinus resionosa (Red Pine

• Leaf: Evergreen needles, 4 to 6 inches long, with two needles per fascicle that snap cleanly when bent, dark green.
• Flower: Monoecious; males almost round, light red, in large clusters at branch tips; females a round, short cone, reddish brown.
• Fruit: Cones are ovoid, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, shiny chestnut brown, umbo is not armed, maturing in early summer.
• Twig: Medium textured, orange-brown in color with narrow, ovoid orange-brown buds.
• Bark: On young trees, red-brown or pink to gray, flaky; eventually becoming plated, the plates have scaly surfaces with a reddish tinge.
• Form: A medium size tree reaching up to 90 feet tall, with oval crown and a clear bole. Foliage is tufted, resembling a fox tail.
• Picea glauca (White Spruce)
• Leaf: Evergreen needles, stiff, 1/3 to 3/4 inch long, square in cross section, needle tips are pointed but not sharp, when crushed a pungent odor is apparent (some say similar to cat urine), green to gray-green. Each needle borne on a raised, woody peg (sterigma).
• Flower: Monoecious; males emerge reddish but turn yellow when shedding pollen; females purple.
• Fruit: Cones are 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, cigar shaped, light brown in color, scales are rounded with entire margins, mature in late summer.
• Twig: Slender, light brown or pale, sometimes glaucous, hairless. Needles borne on woody pegs.
• Bark: Thin, gray-brown in color, smooth, later flaky or scaly.
• Form: Conical, medium sized trees reaching up to 90 feet tall.
Pictures and identifications courtesy of Dendrology at Virginia Tech

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